This invention relates to a security apparatus for receiving, storing, and transferring coins, bills, and tokens deposited therein. This invention is especially suited for use in a fare collection apparatus commonly referred to as a "farebox" in a mass transit system.
Various problems arise in the case of large transit systems where fares are collected on many individual vehicles and at many different stations. Although robbery is a serious concern, pilferage on the part of persons handling and transferring the collected revenue commonly provides an even greater problem. It is the periodic or repetitious nature of the pilferage of revenues which magnifies such a problem. For example, if employees of a transit system find a way to violate the security system without physically damaging the fare collection apparatus, a percentage of the revenues collected can be repetitively stolen from a fare collection apparatus. Because such pilferage may be difficult to detect, large sums may be lost before the security problem is discovered.
It is well known to use a mechanical lock on a collection apparatus. A key is required to open the locked apparatus so that the accumulated revenues can be removed. The breakage of such keys is common in large mass transit systems where a key is used to frequently unlock a great number of fareboxes. Since torque is typically transmitted through the key to lock and unlock various mechanical security devices in the farebox, the key wears out relatively rapidly and must be periodically replaced.